Visa applications from Guyanese seeking to travel to France and the wider European Union have doubled since the opening of the French Embassy in Georgetown, according to French Ambassador Olivier Plançon — though he acknowledged that demand still outpaces supply.
In an exclusive interview with News Room, Ambassador Plançon said annual visa approvals have grown from approximately 150 to roughly 350, a surge he attributed both to the convenience of local processing and Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy.
“We have almost doubled the number of visas issued each year,” Plançon said.
The increase follows a significant policy shift allowing Guyanese to submit Schengen visa applications within Guyana, removing a major barrier that previously required applicants to travel to Paramaribo, Suriname — a costly and time-consuming process that discouraged many from applying. While applications can now be submitted in Georgetown, final processing is still handled through the French Embassy in Suriname.
The Ambassador linked the growing demand to Guyana’s oil-driven economic growth and rising international engagement, which has fuelled increased travel for work, education and tourism, particularly to Europe.
“As the Guyanese economy is developing, there is no doubt that there will be a growing demand for visas,” he said.
Despite the progress, Plançon acknowledged that visa processing remains a sensitive issue across Europe, where immigration policies are closely managed and politically debated.
“This is not an easy issue for us to handle,” he said, while noting that France is working to respond to the growing demand.
Currently, visa applications in Guyana are accepted periodically, with applicants required to complete an online process and attend in-person appointments in Georgetown before documents are forwarded for processing.
Visa-free travel between Guyana and France and the broader EU remains a longer-term goal, the Ambassador indicated.
